“Good to see you know what my rambling meant. She’s been hurt in the past and only has sex for a fun time, and that’s it. But if you really see more in her than a casual fuck, I’ll help you. But if this is all about getting your dick wet more than once then your balls are next on my list to clamp.”
Roper sucks in a breath and cups himself. “Woman, don’t ever make a threat like that again.” His whole demeanor turns serious when he adds, “This is more than just getting my dick wet. We couldn’t get enough of each other and talked for hours between rounds of hot sex. Most definitely something I’ve never done with a chick. She’s different. I want different.”
Good enough for me. I give him a nod along with, “Then we have a deal,” and head for the door while I throw over my shoulder, “Are you coming?”
CHAPTER SIX
— Weston —
“Did you even check into the details we obtained from the paint we retrieved from the SUV and sent out to process? I’m guessing you didn’t even read the report that was delivered over a week ago.” Decker is leaning against the wall and is rightfully questioning me about priorities.
I glance at the opening Harlene just disappeared through since she went in search for Roper. She’s needed back at the clinic and Roper is going with her as security because I have a meeting set with Decker. Or rather had a meeting set because I’m over an hour late and that’s the reason he’s here and pissed.
But I’m pissed too and hiss, “Keep your fucking voice down.”
“Ah, it’s all about priorities, huh?” Decker remarks.
I let my hand trail over Cisco, my horse, and pat him three times before I step out of the stall and close it behind me, locking my horse safely inside.
“We went riding together today. I showed her the herd on the outskirts of our land. Two hours of all smiles and no concerns. Do you know how hard that woman works at the clinic and outside of it? Add the fact she just lost her brother and her father and I’d say she deserves some time for herself. Me included,” I grumble, giving him the real reason why I’ve been pushing my responsibilities back instead of dealing with them.
“My point exactly. We should get a handle on it because she’s managed to win all of us over with her witty mouth, talents of a skilled vet, along with a truckload of other skills since she’s good so far with handling herself around all the assholes that belong to our MC. And like I said, have you read the report?”
I hate the fact that he’s right. “If you did, why don’t you give me the crucial details and save me the time to read it through?”
“The paint is from an old Ford Bronco. And who do you know that used to drive a car like that? Specifically, a blue one? Before he suddenly had a brand new and shiny red one?” His eyebrow raises in question, but he damn well knows I don’t have to answer him.
My anger skyrockets as I growl, “That’s too much of a fucking coincidence. I want him in the fucking basement right now.”
“You can do it yourself,” Decker supplies as he pushes off the wall and falls in step beside me. “He’s in the main room asking for you, that’s why I headed in here to come and get you.”
I give Decker a skeptical look. “He’s here? You’re fucking with me.”
“Nope. The fucker has the balls to come here demanding a meeting to talk things over concerning the junkyard. Something about a good deal for the both of us. And that’s not the only thing that’s fucked-up about all of this. And I know how hard you’ve been working for years to set this place up and provide for all of our brothers. Roper too with his investments for that matter. I’m especially grateful because without you I’d still be living on the streets.”
“You were born to ride a horse—made of steel or flesh and blood—and tend cattle, Decker. There hasn’t been a fence in need of repair because you fix that shit before it needs fixing or you order someone else to do it. We run this ranch together. Every single one of us, and that’s how it should be. I have your back, you have mine,” I simply state because it’s the truth.
“And that is why I looked into things concerning your old lady, because I couldn’t understand how this fucker would do such a thing. Let me explain my train of thought and what I found out when I did a little digging.” And he does as we take our time to head for the main room in the house.
My anger is so vivid and yet I’m extremely calm. The one who had motive, opportunity, and the fucking necessities to kill Harlene—but instead killed her only two living family members—is here. Once Decker explained what he discovered, the rest fell into place. And it’s hard as fuck to know how indirectly—and unwillingly—I had something to do with this shit.
Before I step inside the main room, I face Decker. “You were right. I should have handled it sooner. Thank you for diving into it and doing the work I should have been doing.”
Decker shakes his head. “I’ve never seen you smile so much and actually relax in between getting the work done around here. Your old lady is the reason. It’s all new and barely starting, it’s only logical you took some time to focus on the both of you. You deserve it. Besides, it’s the whole I scratch your back, you scratch mine. Remember that when I’m the one blinded with love and want to follow my dick to wherever my woman leads me. Then you can smack my head and put my feet back on the ground.”
I punch the fucker in the shoulder. “Shut up,” I snicker. “And it doesn’t make you blind or put your head in the clouds for that matter. It opens your eyes to make you see what the hell you’ve been missing.”
We stare at each other as realization hits of the fact I commented about love, and pink fucking clouds. It’s too damn soon and if I think anything less than the fact that I adore this woman, I would be lying to myself. So, I might as well give into the fact my feelings for this woman have only grown since I met her.
“Let’s handle this so you have one less thing to worry about,” Decker says and smacks me on the back as he opens the door.
The main room is empty. Not unusual since we have a large herd of Texas Longhorns we need to move from one pasture to another and this unique breed can get quite aggressive. Most of the men are out dealing with that. And Roper should be with Harlene but clearly he isn’t because she’s currently facing Trixy’s father alone.
The fucker has a tight grip on her upper arms, preventing her from getting away. The fucker is growling shit at her and I’m not hearing one single thing because I’m seeing red. I’m about to go for his throat but Decker is blocking my path.
“Leo,” Decker snaps. “Let her go if you want to live longer than the thirty seconds that it will take for Weston to rip out your throat.”
“Pres,” the slimeball purrs and instantly removes his hands from Harlene. “I was looking for you.”
I hold my hand out and pride hits my chest when Harlene stalks straight toward me and lets me pull her flush against my body.
I glance down, tilt her head, and ask, “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” she says and places her palm over my heart.
Yet I can hear the slight tremor in her voice and see the wariness in her eyes.
“What did you say to her?” I snap and try to keep my calm.
“Nothing, Pres. I was only holding her because she tried to pitch a fight about my daughter. You know how Trixy favors you. Harlene here is jealous of Trixy. In my opinion you need to be aware. When I told her I was gonna mention it to you, she became angry and attacked me. I was only defending myself,” the man lies straight through his teeth.
The hand Harlene was pressing against my heart is now fisting my shirt. My anger drains slightly because of her reaction to hold herself together. I was expecting yelling or launching herself at Leo. Fuck knows Trixy would have clawed someone’s eyes out if they were lying to her or if she felt the need to protect herself.
But not my woman. Not the president’s old lady. She’s trusting me to handle this situation. And this is the woman I’ve seen in action these last few days whe
n she’s working; as controlled as she always is. Even while handling an animal in pain who is kicking and biting, she’s always in perfect harmony. Letting her warmth and calm seep into those who need it. In this case, me, since I can feel some of my anger drain.
I cover her fist with my hand and untangle it before I bring her fingers to my mouth and kiss them. “My old lady wouldn’t pitch a fight about Trixy. There is no need for jealousy since my woman knows there is no other except her. And for fucking sure Trixy is the one who’s jealous. And she will get what is coming to her for her involvement in fucking with my woman’s life. You, on the other hand, are truly fucked. Did you seriously think we never would discover the money you’ve been stealing from us? Did you really think you’re irreplaceable because you’ve been running the junkyard for us for a couple of years? Let me tell you something, Leo. You’re going to die today.”
I can feel her tense against my body. I probably shouldn’t have voiced my thoughts. Though there’s one thing I would never do to my woman, and that’s lie. If she knew my background and what happened with my mother, she would understand my reasons.
We’ve been around each other every day since we met, and she’s slept in my bed each damn night. Well, there wasn’t much sleeping going on, but that’s beside the point. One thing I came to realize very quickly is how this woman has crawled underneath my skin and completely possesses me.
And I fucking revel in it. This means no hiding for the both of us. My father used to keep my mother oblivious, and in the end, she took her own life because she couldn’t deal with the load of information she obtained and was confronted with.
Shit has a way of always bubbling to the surface and that’s why I won’t ever hide anything from my woman; it’s all or nothing.
“I’m not going to die today,” Leo says with a load of venom in his voice. “Don’t you think I have a couple of insurances in place?”
Decker snorts beside me. “You mean Trixy knowing some of the dirty shit you’ve done in order to get the money you greedily took from us?” Decker slowly shakes his head. “You were always disposable, Leo. You’re not even a brother, never patched in. Not even a fucking prospect because we knew right from the start, you’re worth jack shit. You’re a disposable employee. We hired you to run that junkyard for us. A damn job you earn money with to feed you and your damn kid. And this is how you repay us? By stealing money from the hand that feeds you and then acting like you own the place? Fucking thinking you’re indestructible and can put things to your own hand? Idiot.”
“You forgot the part where this fucker thought he could palm me in with his daughter’s pussy,” I sneer. “As if I’d ever touch that shit after all my other brothers have been in there.”
Something shifts behind Leo’s eyes as if he knows this is the point of no return for him.
He points his bony finger at Harlene. “You said it yourself how you would break this one in and pass her off to your brothers once you’re done. How is this cunt any different than my Trixy? Trixy has been here for years. She shows loyalty to the club and belongs here. She should be the woman you need in your bed. And you’ve never had a woman for yourself, you fucking share everything here, just like your father did. Hell, even he was unfaithful to your mother, it’s the whole reason she killed herself. Trixy could handle you fucking around, and I doubt this bitch here could handle the hard MC life that goes on around this ranch.”
My hands leave Harlene and I launch myself at the asshole who thinks he can throw out taunts to get his fucking way. My fist connects with his jaw as I bellow, “Don’t fucking compare my woman with my mother or me with my father! Or fucking think I’d pick a whore over my Harlene. She belongs to me and can handle every fucking thing.”
Another punch lands on his face and I keep throwing punches and words at him. “Harlene is so much more than a piece of ass to share around. She’s mine and I won’t ever let anyone touch what’s mine. Your lies have hurt her one final time, you fucking hear me? Spewing shit about what you heard that night you killed her father and brother. You might not have used your hands but we know you put your Ford Bronco in the middle of the road, right after the turn so they had no other choice but to throw the wheel around to prevent head on collision. They hit your Bronco, the paint proves it. It’s because of you that they died. Their blood is on your hands. And to think that bitch daughter of yours headed over to Harlene’s because she wanted a fucking shirt! Fucking hell, how can you let your conniving daughter push you into helping her get rid of fucking competition in her eyes? All while she heads out to steal a fucking piece of clothing?”
I’m heaving and throw his limp body to the ground while I’m still balling my aching fists, itching to land more punches. Yet the fucker isn’t worth shit.
“She wanted you,” Leo mumbles. “Trixy loves you, always has. She wouldn’t stop tormenting me. I had no choice.” Leo starts to sob.
“She’s your fucking daughter. Lock her the fuck up or you come to me and I would have handled it. You didn’t. And now two innocent people are dead because your twisted daughter wanted something that was never hers.” I spit on the man who failed not only me, my club, Harlene, but also his daughter. Hell, he failed the whole fucking world by not seeing how his daughter twisted into an evil human being.
I take a moment to get my breathing under control and slowly turn around to face Harlene, hoping this whole shit didn’t scare her off. Only to find her gone.
“Where is she?” I snap.
Decker glances around and holds up his hands. “I don’t know, Pres. She was here a moment ago.”
“Watch him,” I growl and jog out the door, but her SUV is gone and in the distance I see her driving away.
CHAPTER SEVEN
— Harlene —
“I think you need to hear him out,” Cassidy says as she hovers over my shoulder.
“And I think your prejudgment sucks ass. Now let me finish removing this tumor from this dog because you’re getting on my nerves.”
Cassidy stalks around the table. “No, I’m not. You have the steadiest hand and nerves out of all the people I’ve known and met. Not the most skilled hands, though. Those belong to Roper.”
“Ah, we’ve landed into sex talk and also the reason why I don’t value your judgment in this situation because you’re contaminated.”
“I am not contaminated,” Cassidy huffs.
“Yes, you are,” Joaquin mutters. “Nice job, Harlene. Were you able to remove everything?”
“I did,” I muse and double check everything before I can start to close up.
“Cassidy, there’s a request for a vet out at the Iron Hot Blood Ranch. Are you going to take it?” Joaquin asks.
Cassidy shakes her head. “Nope, let queen bee go. She needs to face him sometime. He’s been coming here and to her house at least twice a day for the last week. You have to talk to him and get it over with. If you don’t want to screw him, then stop screwing with his head and cut him loose.”
I have to swallow hard at her words and ignore the two of them until I’ve successfully closed the wound.
Facing them both with my eyes pinned on Cassidy, I snap, “I can’t face him because I don’t even know what to do or what I want, okay? He beat up Trixy’s father in front of me because Leo put his Ford Bronco deliberately in the middle of the road in an effort to kill me but Leo ended up killing my father and brother. All so his daughter could come to our house and steal the shirt I bought because Trixy wanted to have it. Oh, and she wanted Weston too. That’s how it all started since Leo overheard Weston mention he wanted me. And Leo screwed over Weston’s MC, so somehow, in their twisted logical reasoning, they thought Trixy should be with Weston. You know, so it would all work out perfectly for them. But I was standing in their way. Me. It’s all about me and Weston. I can’t wrap my mind about any of it. It’s too raw, too insane, too freaking...I don’t know, okay?”
The both of them are staring at me and I realize the words I
just voiced and kept inside for over a week is something I didn’t share with them before. They didn’t know any of it and now that they do, they have no advice and just keep staring. My shoulders sag and through the silence and watchful eyes of my two friends, I take care of the dog, and they help me clean up.
Once we’re at the desk and Joaquin is checking appointments, Cassidy finally speaks and yet I wasn’t expecting the words she chooses to tell me. “In my opinion I strongly believe Weston is the good guy in all of this, Harlene.”
I’m about to ask her to explain her reasoning, but she holds up her hand.
“Think about it. If Weston didn’t interfere you would still think their deaths were an accident. They would have gotten away with it too. And what’s to say that bitch doesn’t take you out anyway? Oh. Shit. That’s the reason Roper has been here all day, every day, right? Not because of me, because of you. I’m such an idiot. He’s keeping an eye on you because he’s the Vice President and needs to protect the president’s old lady. Motherfucker. I’m going to kill him for fooling me into the whole ‘I can’t get enough of you’ swoon worthy words he kept throwing at me. And that bitch Trixy is going down. First I need to find her since she’s been missing.”
“What?” I gasp. “Missing?”
“Oh, yeah. Missing. That asshole, Roper, told me not to tell you because you had enough on your plate and I agreed because you couldn’t care less about the bitch, but dammit, this is dangerously insane.”
“I agree,” Joaquin quips. “Weston’s request not to send you out alone is valid. And until this bitch is found, you’re not to be alone. And I agree with Cassidy, you should talk to Weston. With everything you mentioned it sounds like this man also didn’t have a choice and fought for you to get this cleared up. He’s been a mess when he shows up here. That man adores you and it visibly kills him not to be able to be near you. And you’re the same, missy. Don’t even dare to deny it because I’ve seen you—a full week taking his dick and be all smiles, and now a week without—and I’m sure you being miserable isn’t all about the insanity of those two people who stole away the lives of your brother and father. Admit it, you miss Weston.”
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